No ‘third wave’ of layoff notices today

For the past two weeks, members of the Public Employees Federation have been receiving layoff notices — with more than 700 being given three week notices.

We’re told that there are no notices going out today and none are imminent, meaning we will probably get through the week without a third wave.

What this means, though, is hard to discern as Cuomo administration sources insist there is no purposeful “pause” in the layoff process.

Negotiators from PEF and the Cuomo Administration, though, are continuing to meet with negotiating sessions scheduled all week, according to the union’s web site.

The first wave of state workers scheduled to laid off would be off the payroll by next Friday if the cuts go ahead as planned. The Administration has said that up to 9,800 jobs could be eliminated as a “last resort” if they can’t get $450 million in workforce savings.

The state’s other major union, the Civil Service Employees Association, will begin to vote later this month on a tentative contract that included three years without raises, a furlough and higher health costs. In return, they got a no-layoff agreement that could save 4,500 jobs.